Weddingbee boards

Just ask him! With most couples I think the bride does most of the planning anyway so I doubt he'll be bothered by you taking the reins. Why not ask him if there's anything he wants to be charge of (like organizing the bar, or the DJ) -- something specific. That way he's part of it but not bogged down with more than he can handle. And you can always send through emails w/ pics to show him what you're thinking and just get his opinion on it (that is, if he has one -- most guys just say, "Yeah, that's great.")

I would think that he wouldn't mind too much if you did most of the planning on your own. I definitely agree with PP that most guys just say "yeah.. that sounds great" - at least that's what my FI does, and he's here all the time. So feel free to save all your talking time for stuff unrelated to planning, and just send him emails with pictures/contracts/etc. I know it must be tough with him gone, and major hugs to you for dealing with him being gone! My cousin is currently over in Afghanistan and I can only imagine what his girlfriend and you and other militiary SO's are going through.